Prior sockets consist of an insulating tubular body made of moulded plastic. The sockets are intended for receiving W5W type lamps, for the nightlight function in motor vehicle headlights. The sockets have, in a known manner, two longitudinal cavities into which are inserted electrical contacts crimped onto power supply cables. The socket according to the prior art is inserted into the base of the headlight, which has in relation thereto an opening. The socket known in the prior art has resiliently deformable lateral elements, with external shoulders for providing the clip-fastening.
The sockets are used in the following manner: the lamp is inserted into the socket by pushing it such that the base and the electrical contacts are engaged onto the contacts of the socket. The socket supporting the bulb is then engaged into the headlight. In particular, European patent EP0404135B1 describes a socket intended to be mounted on an electrically insulating substrate. The socket according to the patent comprises hook-shaped electrical contact studs and a casing intended for holding the base of the lamp in the socket.
Patent application EP1633024 also describes a socket for a wedge-base lamp comprising a base and at least two electrical contact studs which are fitted in the base in order to connect electrodes of the lamp electrically to an electric supply circuit, the electrical contact studs each comprising a resilient part which forms a gripper into which the wedge base of the lamp is inserted. In the document, the base comprises a centering part which is produced in the form of a ring, which is extended on a first surface by at least one element which can provide a fixed positioning of the centering part. On a second surface, centering elements form a part in contact with the base of the bulb of the lamp in order to center the lamp in a predetermined manner in the base and to oppose displacement of the lamp relative to the base. It is also known by European patent EP066863 to have a bulb socket comprising a W5W type bulb receptacle.
The sockets according to the prior art have the disadvantage of enabling mounting with an imperfect electrical connection. It may arise that one of the crimped contacts is not correctly locked into the cavity of the socket, which causes electric supply faults of the lamp. Even if a prior electrical inspection is carried out, the imperfect locking may result in that the lamp is temporarily considered transitorily as correctly powered, and then, after shaking or vibration, breaks free.